


Stargazeing

by Bremmatron33



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 23:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13134165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bremmatron33/pseuds/Bremmatron33
Summary: Riptide gets so bored he often gets lost in his daydreams. Some feel more real than others and that can be a real problem.





	Stargazeing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Charliedzilla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charliedzilla/gifts).



> lol my only thoughts when writing this were Ghibli space movie plus Riptide. I hope you like it charlie!

Riptide often found himself outside of the ship. There was a large deck on the side for manual run of cannons and whatnot in case systems went down but a lot of bots used it just….just because. Because it was nice to be alone, nice to be in space. Even though the chill left frost on ped tips and long exposure to massive starfields made one sick. Sometimes it was worth the pain. Riptide thought it was but then he was lucky. He didn’t do much, not like the other bots who had jobs and responsibilities. For the most part, he could do whatever he wanted. Riptide honestly didn’t know if he liked that. He knew that he was stupid, he knew that he didn’t have a lot to offer but he sort of hoped someone would just throw him into something and then he’d get to learn if he could do it or not. They hadn’t though, so now Riptide felt like even more of a wanderer than he had during the war.

At least he’d had a place during the war. He was a soldier and good or bad he fought with all the rest. Fought to win, fought to survive, there was always a battle, always a place. Riptide didn’t know where his place was now. This trip was supposed to help him find his new place but the longer he spent the more he only felt like an intruder. He didn’t need to be there, didn’t need to be. He’d served his purpose and now he was lingering, taking up space.

Thankfully being of a simple mind and even simpler morals Riptide didn’t really mind all that much. He knew he’d find something new for him do so just wandering for a little bit didn’t seem so selfish. In the meantime, he’d just keep trying.

Trying, however, could be exhausting. Some days Riptide got tired of trying so he’d go out to the side deck, where he’d look at the stars. At the moment they were quite beautiful. In the far distance, a passing blue supernova was making the sky look like a massive sea. The sea, oh Primus how much Riptide missed the sea. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been able to have fun in the water. Swim with all the strange creatures. 

In his mind, the water was warm and cool at the same time. It flowed between his joints like energon in his lines, natural and right. The thought made his t-cog twitch, it always acted up when he got excited. Riptide wondered if he could race through space like he did through the water, probably not. 

In his daydreams, though he could be anywhere, go anywhere. He didn’t need to be stuck on the Lost Light meandering through space, stuck with his own bad thoughts, and even worse feelings. He could be in some far off alien sea, filled with watery fauna they brushed against his metal, friendly and curious. Where the waves pushed him along further and further even as he idled.

Laying on his back Riptide sighed. Sometimes even that was too stressful. Making himself happy. It made his mind and frame….jittery. He didn’t want to sit still but he didn’t want to move. He just wanted….Riptide didn’t even know. He couldn’t place it. Something. Anything really. Slowly he counted the stars in the distance, drawing pictures in his mind. Maybe a nap? A nap did sound good but…..ugh he didn’t want to go all the way back to his hab suite and he was comfortable. 

The longer he laid there, hips swinging shallowly from side to side, the more the stars began to shift and move. That was odd. Not as odd as a whole section of space lurching forward and shaking. 

“What?” Sitting up Riptide watched space shiver and shift suddenly to a sheer holographic film. Fins, giant fins that were attached to some massive snakey space beast. “Wow!” It must have had some sort of camouflage. Riptide watched raptly as it lazily inches across space, its body sparked as its fins refracted every bit of light. The mech could only wonder where it came from. 

He wanted to know. Wanted so badly to follow it. His peds took him to the edge of the deck before he knew it. He easily hopped up onto the safety banister and tried to reach as high as he could to touch the magnificent creature but it was too far away. He could jump. He could totally just jump.

How badly did he want to follow the creature?

“Really badly.” Riptide rocked back and forth on the railing before jumping up. The gravity field promptly pulled him back down but that was what he wanted. With the second jump, he easily cleared the field and the slow slip of space moved him upward. Further and further he drifted till he was right by the creatures slithering form. Venting sharply he carefully reached out and placed his servos on the beast frame. It felt so smooth, like glass, but Riptide could hear the hum of mechanics beneath somewhere.

The feeling of warm air started the mech, as he turned to the source he came face to face with the beasts face. Riptide could see his reflection in its massive optics. Steam surrounded him as the beast opened is maw to vent again. “Why do you bother me?” 

Riptide felt his jaw fall open in amazement as the monster's words rippled through his circuits. “I’m sorry. You’re just so cool.” The serpent blinked slowly as more steam escaped from its jaws. 

“There is no reason for remorse only desires. What do you desire?” Riptide blinked still just as stunned and unsure. 

“I-I don’t know. Can I go with you? Where are you going?”

“Anywhere? Any time. I simply wander. Are you in need of a journeyman? A guide? A trip?” Riptide choked back a grunt of surprise as the beast bumped its massive snout against his frame. The mech couldn’t help but hug the massive face, and run his digits along the scaly snout.

“Yeah.”

“Why do you sound so sad?”

“I’m not sad.” The creature hummed knowingly and that for some reason did make Riptide sad. 

“You may get on my back. Hold tight onto me and I will take you where you wish.” 

“Heck yeah! Let’s go!” Using the monster to push himself up Riptide soared up and his digits scrambled for the creatures scruffy mane as he almost flew past. It was softer than it looked. A dark greeny blue and the texture of weird moss. Riptide liked it, so he buried his face in the serpents mane.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah! This is awesome!” Riptide felt...wind. He felt the spray of water at his legs. Looking up from the creature’s fur he saw they hadn’t left space….but they had left their space. This new space was strange. Large shapes filled in around them and as the serpent’s fins flared wide and flashed rainbows the shapes popped and splattered against his metal. 

“I am ready. Hold on.” The creature didn’t leave Riptide much of a chance but as space rushed him Riptide forced himself forward and clutched his guide’s fur tightly. Once he was used to the speed and the pull on his frame Riptide was able to enjoy the ride. Space slowly turning a vivid matte black as more bubbles packed in tighter and tighter till they were solid; glass. Like creature itself. 

As the serpent burst through space shattered around him, leaving shards flying past. In each of them a moving picture too small for Riptide to even comprehend. On the other side, the sky was a brilliant glittering gold, a bright blue sun far off into the distance. “Whoah.”

“It is beautiful, isn’t it? One’s dreams? One’s desires? I wish I could have desires of my own but I am happy showing others theirs. Slowly I feel it helps me build something for myself...even if it is artificial.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“That is alright, not everything needs to be understood. Enjoy your time here and I will keep watch over you.” The beast dropped heavily to the waiting ground below, its claws kicking up black sand that scattered slowly back down. 

“Where are we? What’s there to do?” Looking to the distance Riptide saw the land expand outward, islands of black sand lush with glass and copper flora, surrounded by a milky opalescent sea. All of it blank.  
“Just walk and you will find what you need.”

“Okay. If you say so.” Swinging his leg around Riptide jumped off into the sand below. Who was he to doubt a mythical space serpent?

Nerves getting to him Riptide didn’t want to be far from his magical guide but the longer he spent the more the place felt like home. Kicking at the sand and water he watched it fly and hang in the air heavily. Thin clear holographic fish going with it as well. Riptide made sure to catch them and place them back where they belonged. Laying for a long time on his front as an eel weaved between his digits. He may have spent way too long in the strange tidepool. He arguably would have spent more if a familiar voice hadn’t called out to him.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing leaving us hanging?”

“Yeah Riptide, you just gonna ignore us all day?” Head perking up to the sound Riptide felt his spark flux when he saw Pipes and Skids on one of the farther away islands. They waved at him to come join them. 

“Guys? Guys is that really you!?” Racing through the sand and water Riptide sunk as the sea rose, his t-cog twitched in anticipation and Riptide let the change happen. The water felt so good as he raced along the smooth surface. Beneath him, he could feel larger fauna swimming in his slipstream as he shifted his view to see them the surfaced. Bright pink and pale orange the many optic creatures bumped his sides congenially before diving off. Riptide gunned his engines spraying water everywhere teasing them, taunting them to race. The followed him till the shallows. The bellowed mournfully as Riptide transformed and waved them off. He felt bad but his friends were waiting. 

Pipes rushed him before he even had the bot in his view. Riptide hugged the mech close as he swung around in a small circle. “Primus you’re really here!”

“Course we’re here buddy why wouldn’t we be?” 

“I-” Pipes felt so real pressed firmly against him, his field so strong and tingly like it had always been. He didn’t realize how much he missed that feeling till now. Now that his friend had been gone for so long.

“Hey now? You forgetting about me?” Skids playfully picked the two up in his own hug, the bigger mech’s arms strong and warm. The two of them really felt so real. He felt so guilty all of a sudden. Nautica should be here, Swerve too! He should have-

Swerve? Swerve needed something from him today.

Riptide jolted forward, back to reality. “Swerve asked me to lock up today.” Checking his chronometer it was close to closing already. He should have been at the bar a few hours ago so the mini could go to his session with Rung. As he tried to stand up though he only fell forward the floor of the ship gone from him. He was floating in space. Before panic set in a voice called from behind him.

“Please don’t move. I am returning you to the ship.” Clinical and chipper Riptide recognized it immediately as a medi drone.” Riptide couldn’t help but laugh. He must have wandered in his recharge. 

When he was finally safe and sound back on the ship First Aid was staring him down. The tiny medic less than amused or more likely more concerned than amused. “Are you sure you’re alright Riptide. Rung has some free hours later today.” Riptide always felt weird around the medic now. He’d been ordered to keep an optic on him since the mutiny but First Aid never made it seem like an order. Sometimes he’d even come over to hang out with him when he was at the bar. As much as he enjoyed the mini’s company he really felt like he was wasting the medics time.

“I promise I’m okay. You know me always caught in a daydream. I thought I saw something cool and tried to follow it.” 

“You did see something cool and you did follow it. You’re lucky it wasn’t deadly! You know better than to play around in space.”

“What? No way! How do you know.” First Aid shook his head gently in exasperation. 

“You’re lucky I was looking for you and that I heard Swerve mention you didn’t come into the bar when you were supposed to. Medi drone saw you and your beast. So they followed you. It tried to eat medi drone so you’re probably lucky you’re not spare parts right now!”

Riptide laughed nervously “Or worse. Thanks for the save…..but why were you looking for me?” 

First Aid pointed at Riptide sternly before heading off to the back, “Stay here for me.” Riptide had no plans on moving anytime soon he was still freezing and the portable heater felt so good.  
It didn’t take the mini long to return with a massive tank. Inside was a big purple and white crab. “This is a roboid Fort Max sent over. Unfortunately, they’re too damaged to help so they need someone to take care of them. I’m working on getting them a better home but for now, I don’t need them wandering around taking off digits. I thought you might like some semi-aquatic company. Thought maybe you could even keep him at the bar so you and Swerve both have something to ground you two to our reality.”

Riptide recklessly plucked the crab from its home and held it aloft, it’s shiny carapace glimmering in the medbay lights.“Aww! They’re awesome! Thanks, First Aid!”  
First Aid suppressed a scoff and a slight blush of pride thanks to Riptides cute lopsided toothy smile. “Glad you like the idea. Gotta keep you from wandering off somehow.”


End file.
